Texans’ Matt Schaub: ‘I’m not going to change’

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Never breaking character and saying the same thing the same way multiple times, Schaub spoke with the media for the first time since throwing a game-changing pick-six Sunday during the Texans’ home overtime loss to Seattle.

It was Schaub’s third consecutive week with a pick-six. But while many fans have voiced frustration at the Texans’ veteran quarterback and media has questioned his long-term standing with the team, Schaub said he’s ready for San Francisco on Sunday and as focused as ever.

“Good or bad, it’s a long season and I’m not going to change,” Schaub said at Reliant Stadium. “I’m going to be the same guy. My team needs me to be the same guy.”

The QB acknowledged Sunday’s pick-six was the toughest point of his career. But everything from spending Sunday night with his family and children to a players-only meeting and individual conferences with coach Gary Kubiak have helped keep the 10-year vet on target for the 49ers.

While Schaub’s aware of the negativity surrounding him, he’s spent his entire career building a professional wall around himself.

“You know what? I don’t have time to really even process any of that, because it’s on to the next (game),” Schaub said. “In our world and what I do, I understand what happens when things occur the way they did on Sunday.

“Much the same as when we take it down the field and we score and we win the game, sometimes you get a little too much praise in this position. So it goes both ways. But at the same time, we’re on to the next game and you don’t have time to look in the rearview mirror and think about your past.”

Running back Arian Foster was among Texans players who stood by Schaub on Wednesday. Foster said the media “sees blood” and stated that fans are “very, very fickle.”

“Nobody’s talking about it, except for questions from y’all,” Foster said. “It’s not really an issue, so we won’t make it one.”

But he added: “My goal is just to make sure when we get done with this thing at the end of this year, he’s going back out and he’s going to get one to wear.”

Foster said fans are often defined by their passion and have a right to speak out. But he questioned whether those attacking Schaub would do the same to a family member or friend in the same position.

“Does it bother me? Not in a sense where I’m losing sleep over it. … They’re doing what they feel,” Foster said. “But I just feel like if it was their cousin in that position or somebody that they knew that was playing that position and they had a couple rough games, I don’t think they would react the same way.

“But that’s just the nature of the beast. You can’t blame them for it. But I just know that we’re very emotional creatures and their emotions get the best of them sometimes.”